For nearly four decades, rapper Lana “MC Lyte” Moorer has been instrumental in using her voice to help women claim and cement their place in hip-hop and show business.
She combined her stern-but-confident tone with clever wordplay on rap classics like “Cha Cha Cha” and “Paper Thin,” proving that she was just as skilled as her male counterparts. The “femcee” has also shown wide artistic range — she could be seductive and sultry on songs like “Ruffneck” and “Keep On, Keepin’ On,” then offer cautionary tales about drug addiction and infidelity on “Poor Georgie,” and gun violence on “Self-Destruction.”
The veteran performer is headlining “1 of 1: Reflections of Lyte” tour, an intimate show that takes hip-hop purists through her bangers, party jams and empowerment anthems at City Winery tonight.
MC Lyte told UATL the show will allow her to do things her way and extend gratitude to her fans.
“All of my career, I’ve been on bigger tours where I get 20, 30 minutes and sometimes less to do what I do, but tonight gives me the opportunity to take my time with the audience in a setting that I’ve never experienced with just me on the stage,” MC Lyte said.
“We’re going through different eras, and I’m going to share the journey of how I got from there to here. It’s a thank you to all of the people who stood by my career from the beginning, so we’re just going to have a big old party.”
Each show on the tour begins with the “Lyft Up Cypher,” an opening performance in which local hip-hop artists pass the microphone to each other and show off their rap skills. Elijah Kent, an Atlanta native and Jewish rapper, is one of six artists participating in the Lyft Up Cypher. Kent said his songs have substance that mirrors MC Lyte’s lyrical content.
“I like her conscious themes of addiction, violence, positivity and storytelling about her challenges growing up. They’re similar to my music, which I find relatable and rare in today’s rap landscape,” he said.
Credit: Ian Tumey
Credit: Ian Tumey
La’Kea Stokes, a Dallas-Fort Worth-based gospel singer signed to Sunni Gyrl in October 2023, was invited by Lyte to perform “Who Am I,” her new inspirational single over a trap music beat, in Atlanta. She said she appreciates the hip-hop legend’s encouragement to make her own style of inspirational music.
“I don’t know if people will accept it because it’s not like Shirley Caesar or typical Sunday morning service, but Lyte always encourages me to be authentically myself and give the music to people in a different way,” Stokes said.
In September, the Brooklyn, New York native released “1 of 1,” her first studio album in nine years. The collection features guest appearances from Queen Latifah, Big Daddy Kane and Common among others. It’s also one of several musical projects made by legacy hip-hop artists last year.
MC Lyte said she was inspired to release new material after celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop in 2023, and after seeing positive reactions from crowds at LL COOL J’s F.O.R.C.E. tour, along with his Rock the Bells Festival and Cruise.
“We had success last year with Common, Pete Rock, Ghostface Killah, LL, Eminem and Freeway dropping records. We still have an audience that very much wants to hear what it is we have to say,” Lyte said.
Credit: Isaac Brekken
Credit: Isaac Brekken
MC Lyte said coming back to Atlanta feels like a mini homecoming.
In 1995, she relocated to the city for two months to collaborate with producer Jermaine Dupri for “Bad As I Wanna B,” her fifth album released in 1996. Working out of his basement studio in College Park helped fuel her creativity.
“When it’s time to create, you don’t really want it to be so sterile in places you don’t know or studios that are cold. It felt warm, cozy and fuzzy going up to the kitchen, saying hello to Ms. Tina [Mauldin, Dupri’s mother] and going back downstairs to create,” she said.
In 1988, she released “Lyte as a Rock,” her debut album, which is credited as the first album by a female emcee.
MC Lyte said she didn’t encounter barriers to entry because she had a supportive team helping her avoid sexism and industry politics. “I sat back and let the work get done for me. I stayed out of it because I was too young to play ball,” she said. “I didn’t know what to do, I did nothing except create and not go through any suffering.”
That focus catapulted her career. “Ruffneck,” Lyte’s hard-hitting 1993 single about her personal preferences when dating, earned a Grammy nomination and became the first song by a female rapper to earn gold certification from Recording Industry Association of America.
MC Lyte used her vocals to venture into acting and doing voice-over work for award shows, commercials and dolls. She has a recurring role on “Angel,” a new series streaming on BET+, and is directing film and television projects. Lyte said she will also record voice-over spots for this year’s NAACP Image Awards while she’s in Atlanta.
While she appreciates being considered a hip-hop pioneer, MC Lyte said she continues to put thought into her projects. “The plaques on my wall are like my degrees, but I’m grateful to still be here, digging in, creating from scratch and seeing things all the way to the end,” she said.
“I have never been as coherent and conscious as I am now.”
8 p.m. City Winery Atlanta. 650 North Avenue, Atlanta. 404-946-3791. citywinery.com
Become a member of UATL for more stories like this in our free newsletter and other membership benefits.
Follow UATL on Facebook, on X, TikTok and Instagram.
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
